HIA WORD THE LAST WORD
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Posted:Apr 4, 2017 5:26 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2017 4:51 am 13724 Views
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Read: Psalm 63:1–11
Bible in a Year: Ruth 1–4; Luke 8:1–25
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 63:6–7
Dawson Trotman, a dynamic Christian leader of the mid-twentieth century and founder of The Navigators, emphasized the importance of the Bible in the life of every Christian. Trotman ended each day with a practice he called “His Word the last word.” Before going to sleep he meditated on a memorized Bible verse or passage, then prayed about its place and influence in his life. He wanted the last words he thought about each day to be God’s words.
The psalmist David wrote, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings” (Ps. 63:6–7). Whether we are in great difficulty or enjoying a time of peace, our last thought at night can ease our minds with the rest and comfort God gives. It may also set the tone for our first thought the next morning.
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 63.7
A friend and his wife conclude each day by reading aloud a Bible passage and daily devotional with their four . They welcome questions and thoughts from each and talk about what it means to follow Jesus at home and school. They call it their version of “His Word the last word” for each day.
What better way to end our day!
Thank You Father, for Your Word in our hearts and our minds—our last thought at night as we rest securely in You.
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A HEART OF COMPASSION
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Posted:Apr 3, 2017 5:07 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2017 4:51 am 13867 Views
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Read: Colossians 3:12–17
Bible in a Year: Judges 19–21; Luke 7:31–50
Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
Seven of us were attending a musical production at a crowded amusement park. Wanting to sit together, we tried to squeeze into one row. But as we did, a woman rushed between us. My wife mentioned to her that we wanted to stay together, but the woman quickly said, “Too bad,” as she and her two companions pushed on into the row.
As three of us sat one row behind the other four, my wife, Sue, noticed that the woman had an adult with her who appeared to have special needs. She had been trying to keep her little group together so she could take care of her friend. Suddenly, our irritation faded. Sue said, “Imagine how tough things are for her in a crowded place like this.” Yes, perhaps the woman did respond rudely. But we could respond with compassion rather than anger.
Compassion is understanding the troubles of others.
Wherever we go, we will encounter people who need compassion. Perhaps these words from the apostle Paul can help us view everyone around us in a different light—as people who need the gentle touch of grace. “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”
(Col. 3:12). He also suggests that we “bear with each other and forgive one another” (v. 13).
As we show compassion, we will be pointing others to the One who poured out His heart of grace and compassion on us.
Your compassions never fail, Father. May we mirror Your heart by showing compassion to others.
Compassion is understanding the troubles of others.
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THE GREATEST INVITATION
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Posted:Mar 31, 2017 4:13 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2017 4:51 am 13846 Views
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Read: Isaiah 55:1–7
Bible in a Year: Judges 11–12; Luke 6:1–26
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Isaiah 55:1
During a recent week, I received several invitations in the mail. Those inviting me to attend “free” seminars on retirement, real estate, and life insurance were immediately thrown away. But the invitation to a gathering honoring a longtime friend caused me to reply immediately, “Yes! I accept.” Invitation + Desire = Acceptance.
Isaiah 55:1 is one of the great invitations in the Bible. The Lord said to His people who were in difficult circumstances, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” This is God’s remarkable offer of inner nourishment, deep spiritual satisfaction, and everlasting life
(vv. 2–3).
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your promise of mercy, forgiveness, and eternal life.
Jesus’s invitation is repeated in the last chapter of the Bible: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Rev. 22:17).
We often think of eternal life as beginning when we die. In reality, it begins when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
God’s invitation to find eternal life in Him is the greatest invitation of all! Invitation + Desire = Acceptance.
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your promise of mercy, pardon, and eternal life. I acknowledge my failures and receive Jesus as my Savior today.
When we accept Jesus’s invitation to follow Him, our whole life changes direction.
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LIFE AND DEATH
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Posted:Mar 30, 2017 7:00 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2017 4:52 am 14012 Views
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Read: Genesis 50:22–26
Bible in a Year: Judges 9–10; Luke 5:17–39
I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid. Genesis 50:24
I will never forget sitting at the bedside of my friend’s brother when he died; the scene was one of the ordinary visited by the extraordinary. Three of us were talking quietly when we realized that Richard’s breathing was becoming more labored. We gathered around him, watching, waiting, and praying. When he took his last breath, it felt like a holy moment; the presence of God enveloped us in the midst of our tears over a wonderful man dying in his forties.
Many of the heroes of our faith experienced God’s faithfulness when they died. For instance, Jacob announced he would soon be “gathered to [his] people” (Gen. 49:29–33). Jacob’s Joseph also announced his impending death: “I am about to die,” he said to his brothers while instructing them how to hold firm in their faith. He seems to be at peace, yet eager that his brothers trust the Lord (50:24).
We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house.
None of us knows when or how we will breathe our last breath, but we can ask God to help us trust that He will be with us. We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house (John 14:2–3).
Lord God, Your dwelling place will be with Your people, and You will be our God, wiping away our tears and banishing death. May it be so!
The Lord will never abandon us, especially at the time of our death.
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TRIAL BY FIRE
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Posted:Mar 29, 2017 7:00 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2017 4:53 am 14043 Views
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Read: James 1:1–12
Bible in a Year: Judges 7–8; Luke 5:1–16
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life. James 1:12
Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not they produce trees. They sleep underground, waiting for fire, flood, or avalanche to clear a space for them in the shady forest. After a natural disaster has cleared the land, aspen roots can sense the sun at last. The roots send up saplings, which become trees.
For aspens, new growth is made possible by the devastation of a natural disaster. James writes that our growth in faith is also made possible by difficulties. “Consider it pure joy,” he writes, “whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4).
Trials and tests can draw us closer to Christ.
It’s difficult to be joyful during trials, but we can take hope from the fact that God will use difficult circumstances to help us reach maturity. Like aspen trees, faith can grow in times of trial when difficulty clears space in our hearts for the light of God to touch us.
Thank You, God, for being with us in our trials, and for helping us to grow through difficult circumstances.
Trials and tests can draw us closer to Christ.
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BEARING GOOD FRUIT
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Posted:Mar 28, 2017 5:34 am
Last Updated:Mar 28, 2017 5:34 am 14155 Views
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Read: Psalm 1:1–3
Bible in a Year: Judges 4–6; Luke 4:31–44
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season. Psalm 1:3
The view from my airplane window was striking: a narrow ribbon of ripening wheat fields and orchards wending between two barren mountains. Running through the valley was a river—life-giving water, without which there would be no fruit.
Just as a bountiful harvest depends on a source of clean water, the quality of the “fruit” in my life—my words, actions, and attitude—depends on my spiritual nourishment. The psalmist describes this in Psalm 1: The person “whose delight is in the law of the Lord . . . is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season” (vv. 1–3). And Paul writes in Galatians 5 that those who walk in step with the Spirit are marked by “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (vv. 22–23).
God’s Spirit lives in His people, in order to work through them.
Sometimes my perspective on my circumstances turns sour, or my actions and words become persistently unkind. There is no good fruit, and I realize I haven’t spent time being quiet before the words of my God. But when the rhythm of my days is rooted in reliance on Him, I bear good fruit. Patience and gentleness characterize my interactions with others; it’s easier to choose gratitude over complaint.
The God who has revealed Himself to us is our source of strength, wisdom, joy, understanding, and peace (Ps. 119:28, 98, 111, 144, 165). As we steep our souls in the words that point us to Him, the work of God’s Spirit will be evident in our lives.
God’s Spirit lives in His people, in order to work through them.
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IMAGE MANAGEMENT
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Posted:Mar 27, 2017 5:08 am
Last Updated:Mar 27, 2017 5:08 am 14016 Views
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Read: Isaiah 43:1–9
Bible in a Year: Judges 1–3; Luke 4:1–30
You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you. Isaiah 43:4
To celebrate Winston Churchill’s eightieth birthday, the British parliament commissioned artist Graham Sutherland to paint a portrait of the celebrated statesman. “How are you going to paint me?” Churchill reportedly asked the artist: “As a cherub, or the Bulldog?” Churchill liked these two popular perceptions of him. Sutherland, however, said he would paint what he saw.
Churchill was not happy with the results. Sutherland’s portrait had Churchill slumped in a chair wearing his trademark scowl—true to reality, but hardly flattering. After its official unveiling, Churchill hid the painting in his cellar. It was later secretly destroyed.
God knows the real us and still loves us immeasurably.
Like Churchill, most of us have an image of ourselves we want others to have of us also—whether of success, godliness, beauty, or strength. We can go to great lengths to conceal our “ugly” sides. Perhaps deep down we fear we won’t be loved if the real us is known.
When the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, they were seen at their worst. Because of their sins, God allowed their enemies to conquer them. But He told them not to fear. He knew them by name, and He was with them in every humiliating trial (Isa. 43:1–2). They were secure in His hands (v. 13) and “precious” to Him (v. 4). Despite their ugliness, God loved them.
We will find ourselves less motivated to seek the approval of others when such a truth truly sinks in. God knows the real us and still loves us immeasurably
(Eph. 3:18.
God’s deep love means we can be real with others.
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His Wonderful Face
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Posted:Mar 24, 2017 3:36 am
Last Updated:Mar 24, 2017 3:37 am 14222 Views
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Read: 1 Chronicles 16:8–27
Bible in a Year: Joshua 16–18; Luke 2:1–24
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. 1 Chronicles 16:11
My four-year-old is full of questions, and chatters constantly. I love talking with him, but he’s developed an unfortunate habit of talking to me even when his back is turned. I often find myself saying, “I can’t hear you—please look at me when you’re talking.”
Sometimes I think God wants to say the same thing to us—not because He can’t hear us, but because we can tend to talk to Him without really “looking” at Him. We pray, but we remain caught up in our own questions and focused on ourselves, forgetting the character of the One we’re praying to. Like my , we ask questions without paying attention to the person we’re talking to.
Seeking the face of God can strengthen our faith.
Many of our concerns are best addressed by reminding ourselves of who God is and what He has done. By simply refocusing, we find comfort in what we know of His character: that He is loving, forgiving, sovereign, graceful.
The psalmist believed we ought to seek God’s face continually (Ps. 105:4). When David appointed leaders for worship and prayer, he encouraged the people to praise God’s character and tell stories of His past faithfulness (1 Chron. 16:8–27).
When we turn our eyes toward the beautiful face of God, we can find strength and comfort that sustain us even in the midst of unanswered questions.
Lord, let the light of Your face shine upon us.
Seeking the face of God can strengthen our faith.
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CRADLED IN CONFORT
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Posted:Mar 23, 2017 3:28 am
Last Updated:Mar 23, 2017 3:29 am 14224 Views
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Read: Isaiah 66:12–16
Bible in a Year: Joshua 13–15; Luke 1:57–80
As a mother comforts her , so will I comfort you. Isaiah 66:13
My friend entrusted me with the privilege of holding her precious, four-day-old . Not long after I took the baby into my arms, she started to fuss. I hugged her closer, my cheek pressed against her head, and began to sway and hum in a gentle rhythm to soothe her. Despite these earnest attempts, and my decade and a half of parenting experience, I couldn’t pacify her. She became increasingly upset until I placed her back into the crook of her mother’s eager arm. Peace washed over her almost instantaneously; her cries subsided and her newborn frame relaxed into the safety she already trusted. My friend knew precisely how to hold and pat her to alleviate her distress.
God extends comfort to His like a mother: tender, trustworthy, and diligent in her efforts to calm her . When we are weary or upset, He carries us affectionately in His arms. As our Father and Creator, He knows us intimately. He “will keep in perfect peace all who trust in [him], all whose thoughts are fixed on [him]” (Isa. 26:3 nlt).
As a mother comforts her , so will I comfort you. Isaiah 66:13
When the troubles of this world weigh heavy on our hearts, we can find comfort in the knowledge that He protects and fights for us, His , as a loving parent.
Lord, help me to look to You for my comfort in times of distress.
For help in finding God’s comfort, read The Lord Is My Shepherd: Rest and Renewal from Psalm 23 at discoveryseries.org/hp952.
God’s comfort soothes us perfectly.
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WHAT ARE KNOWN FOR?
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Posted:Mar 22, 2017 7:08 am
Last Updated:Mar 22, 2017 7:09 am 14292 Views
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Read: Hebrews 11:23–28
Bible in a Year: Joshua 10–12; Luke 1:39–56
[Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Hebrews 11:26
A memorial stone stands in the grounds of a former Japanese prison camp in China where a man died in 1945. It reads, “Eric Liddell was born in Tianjin of Scottish parents in 1902. His career reached its peak with his gold medal victory in the 400 metres event at the 1924 Olympic Games. He returned to China to work in Tianjin as a teacher. . . . His whole life was spent encouraging young people to make their best contributions to the betterment of mankind.”
In the eyes of many, Eric’s greatest achievement was on the sports field. But he is also remembered for his contribution to the youth of Tianjin in China, the country where he was born and that he loved. He lived and served by faith.
Faithfulness to God is true success.
What will we be remembered for? Our academic achievements, job position, or financial success may get us recognized by others. But it is the quiet work we do in the lives of people that will live long after we are gone.
Moses is remembered in the faith chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11, as someone who chose to align himself with the people of God instead of enjoying the treasures of Egypt (v. 26). He led and served God’s people by faith.
Ask God to show you how you can make a difference in the lives of others. For what would you like to be remembered?
Faithfulness to God is true success.
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